維摩經義記卷第四 4.32

4.32

From “At that time Vimalakīrti asked the bodhisattvas from Sarvagandhasugandhā…” onwards is the fifth major section. It explains the reciprocal benefit between the two lands. It explains that because the bodhisattvas from the higher realm hear this teaching, they can transform and guide without limitation; and [those here], by tasting the fragrant food, know that buddha-works are not identical, so that both sides derive benefit—hence it is called reciprocal benefit. From Vimalakīrti's questioning the bodhisattvas from Sarvagandhasugandhā onwards down to “all their merits are fully perfected,” it explains the buddha-work of that fragrant land. When those bodhisattvas say, “In our land the Tathāgata has no spoken words or letters, but merely uses all the fragrances to cause beings to enter the practices of the precepts,” could it be that the Tathāgata Gandhahastin merely uses fragrance for buddha-work without preaching the Dharma? Rather, he speaks according to what is superior as a condition. In that land, entering the path mostly relies on fragrance as a condition, so it is recorded as “merely uses all the fragrances.” How do we know this to be so? At the beginning of the chapter it says that the Buddha preached the Dharma for the great assembly of bodhisattvas. Therefore we know it is not that there are no words or letters. Furthermore, in one aspect, in this realm it is by relying on the auditory consciousness that an understanding of hearing and contemplation arises; in the higher realm of Sarvagandhasugandhā, after the olfactory consciousness arises, hearing, contemplation, and wisdom-understanding arise in the mental sphere. This can also be addressed from the perspective of the predominant mode. From those bodhisattvas questioning Vimalakīrti onwards, it explains Śākyamuni's preaching of the Dharma. Within this, it is divided into three sections: First, from Vimalakīrti onwards down to “tames them with harsh words,” it directly explains that [sentient beings here] are coarse and intractable, and therefore require the circumstance of harshness. Second, from “this is hell…” onwards down to “this is worldly; this is nirvāṇa,” it explains the substantial nature of harsh dharmas. Third, from “Because the minds of intractable beings are like apes…” down to “only with bitter and cutting words can they be brought into the practice of the precepts,” it explains the citation of two similes concluding the matter of why harsh words are thus needed. In the first sub-section, from “The sentient beings of this land are intractable and difficult to transform…” onwards, it directly explains that sentient beings are stubborn and strong, and therefore require harsh and violent words to subdue them. Within the second sub-section, the substantial nature of harsh dharmas is explained under two gates: First, from the words “this is hell…” onwards down to “this is the retribution for ignorance,” it explains the natural arrival of the principles and karmic measures of causes and effects that are not deliberately anticipated. Second, from “this is establishing the precepts…” onwards down to “this is nirvāṇa,” it explains that there is reliance on teaching, where there is transgression and compliance: compliance is good, and transgression is evil. Within the first, the unanticipated, it is divided into two senses: The first sense: “this is hell,” as the place where foolish people are born, directly and generally explains evil fruitions. The second sense: from “this is bodily misconduct…” onwards, it jointly explains cause and effect. Within this joint explanation of cause and effect, there are further three banners: The first banner generally explains the three karmas—body, speech, and mind. The second banner, although it explains the ten evils: killing living beings has the primary retribution of falling into the three destinies, and as a residual conditioning, one obtains two kinds of retributions among humans—the first is a short lifespan, and the second is frequent illness; theft also has two fruitions—the first is poverty, and the second is that together with another's wealth, one cannot freely use it; sexual misconduct has two fruitions—the first is that one's wife is not chaste and good, and the second is that one does not obtain an entourage according to one's wish; false speech has two fruitions—the first is being frequently slandered, and the second is constantly being deceived by others; divisive speech has two fruitions—the first is obtaining a wicked entourage, and the second is obtaining a disharmonious entourage; harsh speech has two fruitions—the first is constantly hearing harsh sounds, and the second is that whatever one says always resembles a quarrel; frivolous speech has two fruitions—the first is that whatever words one speaks, people do not believe or accept them, and the second is that whatever words one utters cannot be clearly understood; covetousness has two fruitions—the first is having many desires, and the second is being insatiable; anger has two fruitions—the first is that others constantly seek out one's faults, and the second is that one is constantly annoyed and harmed by others; wrong views have two fruitions—the first is constantly being born into a family of wrong views, and the second is that one's mind is flattering and crooked. The third banner: from “this is stinginess; this is the retribution for stinginess” down to “this is ignorance,” it explains the six vices contrasted with the six perfections. In the second section, on practices relying on the teaching: as for “this is establishing the precepts,” when the four-fold karmavācanā in the ordination hall first takes place and one initially obtains the precepts, this is referred to as “establishing the precepts.” As for “upholding the precepts,” virtuous conduct being without defect is in all cases compliance with the teaching. As for “violating the precepts,” breaking what is upheld is in all cases transgresing the teaching. As for “this should be done; this should not be done,” if one complies with the teaching and does good, this should be done; if one transgresses the teaching and creates evil, this should not be done. From here on, the rest can be known by analogy. From “Because the minds of intractable beings…” onwards, within Śākyamuni's preaching of the Dharma, the third major section cites two similes concluding the matter of why harsh words are needed: the restless ape illustrates the myriad facets of the mind; the intractable elephant and horse illustrate the harshness of bodily and vocal form.